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Biology
The Heart
Exchange Surfaces & Exchange Substances
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Ben Allum
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Cards (13)
Specialized exchange surfaces
Parts
of an
organism
over which they
exchange substances
with their
environment
Specialized exchange surfaces in humans
Alveoli
Villi
Alveoli
Small
sac-like
things found in the
lungs
at the very ends of the
bronchioles
Exchange
oxygen
and
carbon dioxide
between the
air
and the
blood
Villi
Finger-like
things found on the
inside lining
of the
small intestines
Help
absorb nutrients
like
glucose
and
amino acids
Specialized exchange surfaces in plants
Root hair cells
Leaves
Root hair cells
Help absorb
water
and
mineral ions
from the
soil
Leaves
Help absorb
the
carbon dioxide
they need from the
air
Common features of specialized exchange surfaces
Large
surface area
Thin
surfaces
Permeable
to substances they need to exchange
Good blood supply
(internal medium)
Good supply
of external medium
Large surface area
Allows more
molecules
to
diffuse
across at the
same
time,
increasing
the rate of
diffusion
Thin surfaces
Short
diffusion
path, allowing
faster
diffusion
Permeable
Allows
substances
to
diffuse
across rather than
blocking
them
Good blood supply
Helps maintain a
concentration
gradient for
substances
to
diffuse
into the
blood
Good supply of external medium
Helps maintain a
concentration gradient
for substances to diffuse into the organism, e.g.
air
for
alveoli
,
food
for
villi